In 2021, a survey showed that around ¾ of all Americans have less than $1000 in their savings account. This alarming statistic has prompted many US residents to look for ways that they can save money for their future. So, if you are one of the many people nowadays looking to save up some cash for their future, in this article, we will share a few creative and innovative ideas.
Stick with What Works
Before we get into the innovative ideas, we thought we would recommend some old-school tactics and systems that work. The first step you must take is to practice some self-control, meaning cutting back on any hobbies that you might have. Of course, we don’t mean you should drop anything that brings you joy and entertainment. What we do mean is to cut back just a bit.
Let us take, as an example, the newly emerging iGaming industry. It seems like new online casino sites pop up almost every day. People who enjoy playing on these websites might sometimes forget themselves while playing their favorite games. An excellent way to counter this is to come up with a certain weekly sum. The sum will limit the amount of cash you can drop per week at an online casino.
A method like this can work not just for the iGaming industry but pretty much any hobby. If you are a gamer, limit your purchases to one game a month (depending on your salary, of course). If you are a prolific reader, try investing in a Kindle or a similar e-book reading device. These are just a few ideas you can implement to save up some cash for your future.
Start an Expense Excel Worksheet
If you’ve already implemented the tactics mentioned above for saving, we move on to the more creative methods. Starting with a pretty classic way to save money: starting an excel worksheet. In this worksheet, you can place a couple of different categories: wants and needs. In the “needs” category, put all of your monthly expenses, and find ways to cut them down. In the “wants” category, on the other hand, write down the money you’ve spent on your hobbies or pleasure. Note whether all of your enjoyment purchases were necessary, and if they were not, make sure you do better the next month.
Look for Free Entertainment
An obvious tip is to look for free entertainment. But looking for free entertainment is always a good idea if you want to save up some cash. Whether this is an entirely new hobby or just a free version of a hobby you’ve already enjoyed is up to you. There are a ton of ways that you can have fun without having to spend money. Long walks, hiking, swimming, and other physical activities are a great way to pass the time and improve your health as well.
However, if that does not appeal to you, there are quite a few things you can do to entertain yourself. If you are a reader, you can find a ton of great books for absolutely free, thanks to websites like Project Gutenberg. If gaming is more your speed, Steam has an entire category for free games. And it isn’t just Steam. You can find a ton of free games for download at various websites. Movie buffs can enjoy free, classic films on YouTube at zero cost.
Try DIY
Lastly, you can always try your hand at some DIY. Rather than making frivolous purchases, look up some tutorials on YouTube and make whatever you need yourself. Obviously, this can’t apply to everything. But, many of you would be surprised at how easy it is to make some everyday household items that everyone uses. Give it a try.
